Fundraisers working on behalf of The Children’s Air Ambulance (TCAA), got to meet the new state of the art helicopter this week.
Following a major investment by the charity, two new helicopters were introduced in 2018 that now provide The Air Ambulance Service with enhanced coverage across the country. When a newborn baby or child is fighting for their life, they need to get expert medical treatment fast. Which is where The Children’s Air Ambulance comes in. The Children’s Air Ambulance provides a world-class medical transfer service whose specialist facilities are so advanced we can provide intensive care in the air for critically ill babies and children up to the age of 18.
TCAA operate differently to a traditional air ambulance, in that they provide a specialist transfer service from hospital to hospital as opposed to landing at the scene of a road traffic accident or sports injury. Regardless of the differences, the service remains a vital one and hundreds of children around the country have benefitted from The Children’s Air Ambulance. They can transport children from anywhere in The United Kingdom in a fraction of the time it would take a road ambulance, which in your time of need, can be vitally important. The new helicopters also allow parents to now fly with their children, which is again one of the many benefits of the new helicopters.
It costs just over £4m a year to operate both helicopters at an average of £3,500 per mission. The costs per mission can vary depending on the distances involved, but money isn’t the important issue when a child’s life is at stake.
Tower Lotteries are proud to act as External Lottery Managers for The Children’s Air Ambulance Lifesaving Lottery. Membership has grown tremendously since the introduction of the new helicopters as the profile of the charity has increased hugely. 2019 will see donations from the draw top £1m for the first time, which will enable our fundraisers to say that they have directly funded 285 lifesaving missions across the country.
If you would like to fundraise for The Children’s Air Ambulance, contact Tower Lotteries on 0333 577 5707.
